1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to boats made in discrete sections and the means whereby various sections of all different sorts are joined together.
2. Prior Art
The following is a tabulation of some prior art that presently appears relevant:
U.S. patentsPat. No.Kind CodeIssue DatePatentee957,820May 10, 1910Vaniman1,148,961Aug. 3, 1915Ellison2,569,611Oct. 2, 1951Jenkins3,744,0719/2 SJul. 10, 1973Bossier4,366,769114/352Jan. 4, 1983Lingeman4,052,7619/2 SOct. 11, 1977Rilling3,266,0679/2Jun. 16, 1965Windel3,822,4279/2 S; 114/77RJul. 9, 1974Ewart, Jr.4,478,167114/352Oct. 23, 1984Hart4,779,556114/352Oct. 25, 1988Smith4,827,865114/353, 114/356May 9, 1989Yelderman6,325,013114/352, 114/357Dec. 4, 2001Brown6,637,362114/352Oct. 28, 2003Avidiya
The concept of building sectional boats is not new. The concept of building separate bows, sterns, and midsections has existed since ancient times. Inventors and creators have addressed issues such as water-tightness, ridgidity, strength, flexibility, means of joining sections, and configurations and designs thereof to deal with the numerous problems inherent in boat design
As a result, workers in the art have designed sectional boats to overcome such problems. Examples of sectional boats can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 957,820 (hereinafter “820”), 6,325,013 (hereinafter “013”), 6,637,362 (hereinafter “362”), 4,478,167 (hereinafter “167”), 1,148,961 (hereinafter “961”) and 3,266,067 (hereinafter “067”). All prior inventions of prior art have involved joining of proposed discrete sections using mechanical connections such as specialized clamps (961 and 167), studs (362 and 820) or overlaps (067 and 013) and combinations thereof. The disadvantages of such previous systems are:                (a) They rely upon complex interdependent parts and do not lend themselves to wide variations of uses outside of the basic revealed embodiments.        (b) They employ methods for joining sections that do not sufficiently allow for the relieving of the stresses of travel over water through adequate provisions for flexion or rely on stiffening systems which put undue compressive or twisting stresses at critical spots between sections during flexion.        (c) Although some reveal designs for standing sections on end and for nesting of sections with a view toward economy of storage, no previous boats reveal the multiplicity of fabrications and combinations available using the system I have invented.        